Metric Conversion

Monday, August 18, 2008

Cooking Conversion Table

(Weights and Measures)

American recipes use dry and fluid measures. Volume determines fluid measures; weight determines dry measures. However, most U.S. recipes refer to ingredients in terms of volume. So don't worry too much whether the ingredient you're measuring is dry or fluid; just use the measure specified in your recipe.

Cooking Conversion Chart / Cooking Measurement Table

TEASPOONS

TABLESPOONS

CUPS

FLUID OUNCES

MILLILITERS

OTHER

1/4 teaspoon

1 ml

1/2 teaspoon

2 ml

3/4 teaspoon

1/4 tablespoon

4 ml

1 teaspoon

1/3 tablespoon

5 ml

3 teaspoons

1 tablespoon

1/16 cup

1/2 oz

15 ml

6 teaspoons

2 tablespoons

1/8 cup

1 oz

30 ml

1 1/2 oz

44 ml

1 jigger

12 teaspoons

4 tablespoons

1/4 cup

2 oz

60 ml

16 teaspoons

5 1/3 tablespoons

1/3 cup

2 1/2 oz

75 ml

18 teaspoons

6 tablespoons

3/8 cup

3 oz

90 ml

24 teaspoons

8 tablespoons

1/2 cup

4 oz

125 ml

1/4 pint

32 teaspoons

10 2/3 tablespoons

2/3 cup

5 oz

150 ml

36 teaspoons

12 tablespoons

3/4 cup

6 oz

175 ml

48 teaspoons

16 tablespoons

1 cup

8 oz

237 ml

1/2 pint

1 1/2 cups

12 oz

355 ml

2 cups

16 oz

473 ml

1 pint

3 cups

24 oz

710 ml

1 1/2 pints

25.6 oz

757 ml

1 fifth

4 cups

32 oz

946 ml

1 quart or 1 liter

8 cups

64 oz

2 quarts

16 cups

128 oz

1 gallon

Some recipes use additional instructions that require a specific amount of the ingredient. For example, a recipe might request "1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed", or "2 heaping cups flour".

Dash or PinchGenerally considered to be less than 1/8 teaspoon.

Firmly PackedWith a spatula, a spoon or your hand, tightly press the ingredient into the measuring cup. You should measure as much of the ingredient as you can fit into the measure.

Lightly PackedPress the ingredient into the measuring cup lightly. Make sure there are no air pockets, but do not compress it too much either.

Even / LevelMeasure the amount precisely, discarding the entire ingredient that rises above the rim of the measuring cup. The back of a straight knife works well for this.

RoundedDo not flatten out the ingredient to the top of the measuring cup. Instead allow it to pile up above the rim naturally, into a soft, rounded shape.

Heaping / HeapedPile as much of the ingredient on top of the measure as it can hold.

SiftedSift with a strainer or sifter before measuring to ensure ingredient is not compacted and there is no other foreign substance in it.